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These Homemade Caramels are perfectly soft and chewy and easy to make with a few pantry ingredients. We love to gift them to friends and family.
Want more candy recipes? I love these Chocolate Turtles, Buckeyes, Homemade Almond Joys, Chocolate Fudge, and Rocky Road!
Why I love these caramels:
- Family Tradition – This is my Mom's homemade caramel recipe we've been making at Christmas time for decades. They were always our food gift for friends and neighbors during the holidays.
- Perfect – They really are soft, chewy, melt-in-your mouth delicious caramels! They truly couldn't be any better! This is a treasured family recipe.
- Easy – This easy caramel recipe only uses pantry ingredients and the steps are simple. But the magic is in the cooking process – it's important to not rush these! Read my tips below for the best caramels every time.
How to make Homemade Caramels:
Combine: Add butter, sugar, and karo syrup to a large heavy-bottom saucepan then stir over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, about 5-10 minutes.
Add Evaporated Milk: Gradually add the evaporated milk, one can at a time, taking about 12-15 minutes PER CAN, while stirring constantly. Make sure the mixture maintains a constant boil, otherwise your caramels can curdle.
Caramelize: Stir the mixture constantly, scraping the sides occasionally, until it reaches a firm ball stage. I don't rely on a candy thermometer. I use the ice water test: Drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water then mold the caramel with your fingers into a ball. You will know the caramels are ready when they feel pretty firm and pliable. Remove from heat then stir in vanilla.
Cool: Pour caramels into prepared pan then refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap).
Cut: I like to use a stainless steel scraper to get perfectly even lines.
Wrap: The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature. Cut soft caramels into small pieces then wrap like a tootsie roll in wax paper, if desired.
Tips for Perfect Caramels Every Time:
- SLOWLY stir in evaporated milk: This should take about 15 minutes per can, pouring in a little bit at a time (or warm your evaporated milk a little, to make the process faster). The caramel must maintain a constant boil the entire time.
- Maintain steady heat: Keep your burner/stove on medium heat to avoid any changes of temperature. Maintaining heat the same is why the milk gets added so slowly.
- Candy Thermometer vs Ice Water Test: I personally don't trust candy thermometers. Unless you take the time to calibrate yours, they can often be “off”. And depending on your location (altitude and humidity) 238°F may not be the perfect temperature for you. The best (and easiest) way I've found is using the ice water method. Drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water then mold the caramel with your fingers into a ball. You will know the caramel candy recipe is ready when they feel pretty firm and pliable.
- Wrap them cold – I like to make them 24 hours ahead of time so they can get nice and cold in the fridge, making them easier to cut and wrap.
Make Ahead Instructions:
To Make Ahead: These easy homemade caramels will keep well in the fridge for several weeks. Take them out to come to room temperature for them to be soft and chewy.
More Caramel Recipes:
- Caramel Apples
- Caramel Popcorn
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
- Chocolate Covered Marshmallows
- Salted Chocolate and Caramel Pretzel Bars
Homemade Caramels
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, (2 sticks)
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups light corn syrup
- 24 ounces evaporated milk*, (2 cans)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a 9×13” pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. (If you don't have parchment paper you can generously butter the pan.) Either size pan will work–9×13” will yield thicker caramels.
- Add 2 sticks butter, sugar, and karo syrup to a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Stir over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, about 5-10 minutes.
- Gradually add the evaporated milk, one can at a time, taking about 12-15 minutes PER CAN to slowly add it, while stirring constantly. You want to make sure the mixture maintains a steady heat and constant boil (no drastic changes in temperature) otherwise your caramels can curdle.
- Stir the mixture constantly, scraping the sides occasionally until it reaches a firm ball stage (about 240-245 degrees F on a candy thermometer). It takes patience and time, but it's sooo worth it! (Also, I don't really trust or rely on a candy thermometer–I like to test it the old fashioned way. Drop a spoonful of hot caramel sauce into a cup of ice water and mold it with your fingers into a ball. When ready it will feel pretty firm and pliable, but still slightly sticky.)
- Once you reach 240-245 degrees F / or the firm ball stage, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
- Pour caramels into prepared pan. Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap).
- The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature. Cut caramel into small pieces and, if desired, wrap like a tootsie roll in wax paper.
Notes
- Candy Thermometer: I don't always trust candy thermometers, and depending on your location (altitude and humidity) temperature will vary. A good way to test them is the ice water method. Drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water and mold the caramel with your fingers into a ball. The caramel should feel pretty firm but pliable in the ice water.
- Caramel is too soft after it has set up: It needed to cook longer. You can pour the whole batch back in to a pot and warm it up again!
- Caramel is too hard: it cooked for too long. Use the ice water method to avoid this.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe November 2017. Updated May 2020 and November 2023.
I give this a 5 star on taste alone!
So much better than store bought! I did however not cook mine long enough. I took the temp to 245 using my candy thermometer but the result is still a tad too soft. I had to freeze it slightly in order to cut into pieces and now we are eating it right out of the freezer. They get too soft and sticky from the fridge. Next time I’ll cook a bit longer. The taste is out of this world though!
Question: do u think i could melt some with a bit of cream to make a dip for apples and for drizzling over my homemade brownies? Would that work or will it ruin the texture?
Best caramel recipe ever. I have tried several recipes and after using this one, there is no need to look for any others. They do take time but so worth it. Printed and saved as my go to recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Hi is there any dairy free substitute for evaporated milk? – butter I can use but wondering if I can use coconut cream or something instead of evaporated milk?
Thanks so much
My grandson asked out of the blue if we could makes caramels. And yes, it’s CARE-ah-mels. This recipe is foolproof using a big old enamel cast iron pot. A nonstick pot of even professional quality will not produce the result you want. I added my evaporated milk all at once and didn’t suffer. Three teachers and a neighbor received little gifts of it today and there’s plenty more to share. Just don’t, whatever you do, say CAR-mull. That’s in California, pronounced car-MELL.
I looked at recipe because it said from scratch, corn syrup and canned milk is definitely not from scratch.
Feel free to make your own syrup and milk your cow :).
WORD LAUREN! Seriously deranged?
* Since when is using the INGREDIENTS Karo syrup & Eagle SCM not making something “from scratch”?
I’d just LOVE to hear your complete alternative recipe, Barb. Please share it with us folks whose Grandmothers & Great Grandmothers have al been wrong. I’m totally interested in your from scratch recipe for caramels.
All this with Love & Light
Are you going to grow your own corn and sugar cane and extract the sugar!?!?
Seriously??
I needed to calm down after a trying day fighting to get my package of Pecans delivered. Got them. And wanted to make some caramel. I did not want to try and find my recipe. Found yours and with 5 stars 189 votes I was in. Besides standing and stirring for nearly two hours was just what I needed to calm down and have one thing to focus on and that was making great delicious Carmel. I tell you it was worth every minute. I did however mix evaporated milk with heavy whipping cream. I love your recipe great way to destress after work. Thank you so much.
Hi and good day
Was wondering when these firm up can they be dipped in chocolate
Yes, you can dip them in chocolate. Enjoy!
I made a half batch just putting all the ingredients but vanilla into the saucepan over medium heat.
Stirred occasionally until it was starting to get candylike, then pretty close to constantly.
Once it was in the general range I added vanilla & CBD then dumped it into a pie pan lined with parchment paper.
Waited until it was cool enough not to melt plastic wrap, covered ut, and put it in the fridge.
Cut them a couple of hours later.
Worked great
Could I make these, freeze them and then melt them later if I want to add them into cupcake batter or as a drizzle over cupcakes?
Does sweetened condensed milk work the same as the evaporated milk?
No, not with this recipe.
I love your recipe! You were right – patience is key and cooking at even temperature. If I didn’t refrigerate; would they set at room temperature? Thank you for this recipe and I know my family will enjoy for years to come!
Yes, they will set at room temperature. Enjoy!